AC Milan vs Inter Milan Preview - prediction, team news, lineups | Pre-Season Friendly

AC Milan and Inter Milan meet in Perth as both continue preparations for the 2026-27 season.

The latest edition of the Derby della Madonnina takes place in Australia. AC Milan and Inter Milan square off in a pre-season friendly at Optus Stadium in Perth on Wednesday. Both Serie A giants continue their preparations for the 2026-27 campaign with another high-profile meeting away from Italy.

AC Milan arrive after coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Celtic in Scotland. Meanwhile, Inter Milan were held to a 1-1 draw by Manchester City in their most recent pre-season outing. Although the result will not define either team’s preparations, the fixture provides another opportunity for both managers to assess their squads ahead of the new season.

With several first-team players unavailable following the FIFA World Cup and several summer arrivals integrating into their new surroundings, both clubs are expected to rotate their squads. Nevertheless, another Derby della Madonnina is expected to provide a competitive contest.

Kick-off Details

• Competition: Pre-season Friendly
• Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2026
• Time: 7:00 PM AWST / 1:00 PM CEST / 4:30 PM IST
• Venue: Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia
• Referee: TBD
• VAR: Not in Use

Form

AC Milan: D-L-W-L-L

Inter Milan: D-W-D-D-W

Players to watch out for

Francesco Camarda (AC Milan)

The 18-year-old striker impressed in Milan’s 2-2 draw against Celtic, scoring twice after coming off the bench. Camarda was the Rossoneri’s standout performer in Glasgow. He has strengthened his case for more first-team minutes during pre-season.

With Santiago Giménez unavailable and Gonçalo Ramos only recently joining the squad, the academy graduate could once again play an important role.

Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter Milan)

With Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram unavailable, Francesco Pio Esposito is expected to lead Inter’s attack. The young striker has been handed a greater opportunity under Cristian Chivu during pre-season. He will be keen to establish himself before the Serie A campaign begins.

Match Facts

• This will be the first Derby della Madonnina to be played in Australia, with the match taking place at Optus Stadium in Perth.
• The fixture is part of a series of high-profile pre-season matches involving AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus in Perth.
• AC Milan drew 2-2 with Celtic in their previous pre-season outing, coming from two goals down.
• Inter Milan enter the derby after a 1-1 draw with Manchester City during their summer tour.
• Both clubs are continuing their preparations for the 2026-27 Serie A season, with several players returning from the FIFA World Cup and new signings expected to feature.

Betting tips & odds

• Tip 1: Both teams to score.
• Tip 2: Over 2.5 goals.
• Tip 3: Draw in 90 minutes.

Injury & team news

Some key players will miss AC Milan‘s trip to Australia. Mike Maignan and Adrien Rabiot are still taking time off after their time in Qatar during the FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Christian Pulisic and Santiago Giménez are still recovering from injuries.

In addition, there is concern about Christopher Nkunku, who injured his muscle right before the team departed. Rafael Leão, Gonçalo Ramos, Luka Modrić, Alexis Saelemaekers, Koni De Winter and Ardon Jashari have joined the rest of the team. Teenage striker Francesco Camarda wants to prove himself once again after scoring two goals against Celtic in the previous match.

The Inter team have gone to Australia without several important players at their disposal. Their captain Lautaro Martínez and forward Marcus Thuram will miss out on the tournament after the FIFA World Cup. Meanwhile, Manuel Akanji will also not be taking part.

After the exit of Yann Sommer, Francisco Acerbi, Stefan de Vrij, Matteo Darmian and Denzel Dumfries, Cristian Chivu should also count on players such as Nicolò Barella, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Alessandro Bastoni, Federico Dimarco and Piotr Zieliński when forming the team, with Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny being the strikers.

Head-to-head stats

• Matches played: 246
• AC Milan (wins): 84
• Inter Milan (wins): 91
• Draws: 71

Predicted Lineups

AC Milan (3-4-3):

Lorenzo Torriani; Strahinja Pavlović, Fikayo Tomori, Mario Gila; Alexis Saelemaekers, Youssouf Fofana, Samuele Ricci, Davide Bartesaghi; Samuel Chukwueze, Gonçalo Ramos, Rafael Leão.

Inter Milan (3-5-2):

Josep Martínez; Yann Aurel Bisseck, Benjamin Pavard, Alessandro Bastoni; Davide Frattesi, Nicolò Barella, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Piotr Zieliński, Federico Dimarco; Francesco Pio Esposito, Ange-Yoan Bonny.

Match prediction

Both teams are still integrating new signings and managing the workload of players returning from the FIFA World Cup. Milan possess greater attacking depth with the arrivals of Rafael Leão and Gonçalo Ramos. Meanwhile, Inter’s absence of Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram could limit their attacking threat.

Expect a closely contested Derby della Madonnina, with Milan having a slight edge.

Prediction: AC Milan 2-1 Inter Milan.

Telecast Details

The match will be available to stream live on DAZN in selected international territories, including Australia. Availability in other regions will depend on local broadcast rights.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram.